Symmetry

On the same day that Barack Obama made his visit to Ottawa (which has of course been documented plenty of other places), another bright young politician also introduced himself and his message of a new kind of politics to a receptive capital city. And there doesn't seem to be any lack of deliberate effort to play up some interesting parallels to Obama:

(Ryan) Meili refused to take shots at his opponents on Thursday, indicative of a “new kind of politics” he said he wants.

“I’m not that concerned with my opponents,” he said. “I have a lot of respect for each and every one of them. This is about ideas, not about cutting down anybody else who’s running.”

Of course, Obama's emergence involved a remarkable convergence of factors - more than a few of which won't figure to be in play in Saskatchewan's leadership race even if Meili can generate a similarly positive impression as a candidate. But the Obama model still looks to be the best-documented recent path to victory for a relative unknown facing the resources of a prohibitive favourite. Which means that it makes sense for Meili's campaign to be following it to the letter so far.